12th Resurrection - How to Make Friends & Influence People

[sanctus_dei]

[A pale young man sits alone at the park at an outdoor chess board during the afternoon. There's pieces on the board, and a few have been moved around. Mostly, he's reading through an old, old book as he sits there. There's no title on the cover, or if there was, it rubbed off ages ago. There's another book sitting next to him too on the bench - just a run-of-the-mill library book on basic car care. He smokes as he reads, and occasionally puts the book down to make a move on the chessboard. Yep, against himself. He has no one else to play with at the moment. Captain Crankypants here knows that he needs to make allies if he ever wants to overthrow this town, or crack its mysteries... but he also really hates 90% of people, and wouldn't know how to make friends with someone if his life depended on it. And without his spellcasting ability, there wasn't much he could do...

Nonsense! There's plenty Theo's capable of... right?

He also knows that he needs to find a relaxing hobby in this town before he goes completely mad. After all, he was just threatening to beat a girl with a wrench for messing with his car that he doesn't even *care* about. And that he already pretty muched FUBARed it on his own. Obviously mechanics will require more study before he jumps in head-first again...

So this was as far as Theo could make it to being social. He's outside, what more do you want? Well, maybe you want to join in and play some chess. Or maybe you just want to point and laugh at him for being a bitter loner. The choice is yours.]

Comments

[sanctusdei.livejournal.com]

Maybe. I've heard that suggested. Could be. Considering people brought here come from all over time and space, who knows where are captors are from.

"Japan dude"? One of those nation spirits, I take it?

[weiss-tank.livejournal.com]

[Ken nodded]

I'm kinda fond of him since I'm from Japan. He's a little weird, but nice enough I've found.

[sanctusdei.livejournal.com]

Hnn. Is there an America then? I talked to a few other of these nation spirits or whatever. Estonia. Thailand.

[Better pay attention, Ken. You just lost a Rook.]

[weiss-tank.livejournal.com]

Yeah, he's pretty loud, I'm surprised you haven't run into him. [He noticed the loss and swore under his breath, tapping his foot. What, he gets fidgety if he sits still too long]

Ah, lets see, England, Canada, Netherlands, a couple of Sweden's are here too.

[sanctusdei.livejournal.com]

See, you're not paying attention again. I've just about got your cornered.

Wait, a couple of Swedens? That's weird.

[weiss-tank.livejournal.com]

Yeah, apparently they come from different er...worlds. I dunno the logic behind it but I guess...

Ah! Damn it. [Ken drummed his fingers on his arm and stared at the board for a good minute before making a move.]

[sanctusdei.livejournal.com]

I suppose. The idea of a nation spirit is new to me, the fact that there's more that one…

[Theo smirked.] Better. See, you're paying attention now.

[weiss-tank.livejournal.com]

I can so pay attention! [He sticks his tongue out and waits for Theo's answering move]

I know, it's a weird concept ain't it? I wonder if they exist in my world at all or if it's just something in their worlds.

[sanctusdei.livejournal.com]

I'm sure every world has its unexplained mysteries. Mine does. Like the werecreatures. And the demons.

[He makes his move. Your Queen is getting in some hot water.]

[weiss-tank.livejournal.com]

[Oh no! Not Manx! Yes he's named his pieces. He plays with one of the black pieces he's managed to get, having named it Nagi in his head. He does manage to get her out of immediate danger]


Eh? You guys got werecreatures and demons? What kind of fucked up place do you live in?

[sanctusdei.livejournal.com]

[Shrugs] The only world I know. The werecreatures are all but extinct for all we spellcasters know. The demons though… casters and normal humans alike spend their whole lives trying to figure those things out.

[Still chasing your Queen down, smirking all the while. Theo, enjoying himself? Well who knows, it's hard to tell.!]

[weiss-tank.livejournal.com]

[Of course, Ken has now made the defense of his queen his highest priority, possibly ignoring some of the other pieces now. It's almost, but not quite a Benny Hill chase around the board]

Dude, and I thought I had it rough with corrupt politicians and the like.

[sanctusdei.livejournal.com]

The demons are a lot better than they used to be. Only a few decades ago, they used to kidnap humans and keep them essentially as slaves. The government got involved though, and put an end to that.

[Theo shakes his head, and snatches up a stray piece of Ken's.] C'mon, you're making this easy!

[weiss-tank.livejournal.com]

[Have a rather incredulous stare]

The government put regulations on the demons? WHAT! How in fuck is that possible?! Demons are like...evil personified!

And shut up! I've never played before! I know I suck. [He takes Theo's bishop in revenge]

[sanctusdei.livejournal.com]

Well the demons decided they wanted to live amongst human society, and the US government decided the demons were going to do it their goddamn way. Now other countries are cracking down on it too. Personally I think it's only a matter of time till the whole thing breaks down.

Plus the demons are greatly outnumbered.

[He twitches over that taken piece. Obviously he got too greedy. Back to cornering your Queen.]

[weiss-tank.livejournal.com]

[Ha, take that.]

Hey hey hey! You leave poor Manx alone! She's had enough trouble!

Dude, sounds like a pretty hard core government you got there...who runs it?

[sanctusdei.livejournal.com]

Manx? What?

…I dunno. The president I suppose.

[weiss-tank.livejournal.com]

[Ken coloured a little, realizing he'd said that out loud. Shit. He hoped Theo didn't realize he'd named his pieces]

But how can a human control what a demon does?

[sanctusdei.livejournal.com]

It's a long story. Even the demons don't know where they came from, and need to live amongst humans. But humans instinctually fear them. So, they used to kidnap humans to do their bidding, so they could live amongst people. The government got involved to integrate them into society.

There's a lot more to it than that, but that is the gist of it. They look like humans for the most part, but they have this… smoky ethereal form as well.

[He takes his next move. He's tying to end this game.] Then again, I'm only aware of their uses as spell components.

[weiss-tank.livejournal.com]

Well... I guess that makes sense. I'm just used to hearing about them in stories.

[It honestly wont be hard to end this game soon, if you take out his knight there's a wide open space to the king]

Hey Theo, back home...what are you trying to do anyways?

[sanctusdei.livejournal.com]

[Swipe! There goes your Knight. Smirk smirk smirk.]

What do you mean? Study magic, obviously.

[weiss-tank.livejournal.com]

Yeah but why? Are you gonna try and take over the world with your zombies? [He looks a little distraught at the loss of said knight. He'd named that one after Aya]

[sanctusdei.livejournal.com]

World domination? What am I, a comic book villain? I'm not interested in ruling the world. Maybe just adding a bit of chaos to it every now and then. [Smirk]

[Your King is in check, look out!]

[weiss-tank.livejournal.com]

[He gnaws on a knuckle, damn, how is he going to get Persia out of that one?]

Then what are you trying to do. You can't just be makin' zombies to be your house servants.

[sanctusdei.livejournal.com]

They do make for great servants. Like I said, I can do more with them than just make a shuffling horde.

... I was just trying to learn. But my mentor was a complete waste and the guilds wouldn't let me in. I wouldn't have gotten as far as I did if I didn't steal all my mentor's books and study on my own.

I just want to get good at it. To be the best at it.